Microsoft has confirmed its new Windows 7 operating system will be generally available on October 22, well ahead of its original schedule and in time for the holiday shopping season.

With Windows 7, I wouldn't "upgrade" Vista. Its best to do a full reinstall. When you upgrade, you also upgrade the problems of the previous OS.

Good point.

I hate backups and restores though

I’d like to offer up a little insight into the “Release to Manufacturing” (RTM) for Windows 7.

Over the past week, there have been many rumors surrounding RTM.

We are close, but have not yet signed off on Windows 7. When we RTM you will most certainly hear it here. As we’ve said all along, we will RTM Windows 7 when it’s ready. As previously stated, we expect Windows 7 to RTM in the 2nd half of July.

Windows 7 will be available in many languages from around the world. For us to consider RTM “done”, it requires that all languages be completely finished. So there is a lot of work that needs to take place for us to finalize all languages of Windows 7. We also need to get to a point of “global readiness” with our partners. Our partners being ready for Windows 7 is extremely important to RTM. As Steven Sinofsky mentions in this blog post in May, RTM isn’t a single point in time. It’s the beginning of the next “process” for Windows 7. At RTM our partners begin their final preparations for Windows 7, including testing and building images for new PCs. RTM is essentially the final “stage” of engineering for Windows 7 before it hits the market at General Availability (GA). As Steven notes, engineering continues on Windows 7 from RTM until GA on October 22nd.

Another thing to keep in mind is that when we do a specific build internally of Windows 7 we have an extensive step-by-step validation process to ensure quality. This process takes time. Just because a single build may have “leaked” it does not signal the completion of a milestone such as RTM. As always, don’t believe everything that you read on the Internet - except this post ;-).

Everyone is super excited about this version of Windows. I continue to get a ton of questions about some of the things that happen after we RTM. I would like to answer some of those questions:

Once Windows 7 is complete, how do I get it?
The answer depends on who you are:
• MSDN & TechNet Subscribers: Subscribers will be able to download the final version of Windows 7 a few weeks after we announce RTM.
• Volume License (VL) Customers: Customers with Software Assurance for Windows will be able to download the final version of Windows 7 Enterprise a few weeks after we announce RTM. As announced today by Bill Veghte during his WPC09 keynote, customers without Software Assurance will be able to purchase Windows 7 through Volume Licensing on September 1st.
• Consumers, Enthusiasts, & Beta Testers (Everyone else): The retail version of Windows 7 will be available in stores October 22nd. If you pre-ordered Windows 7, it should be delivered sometime around the October 22nd timeframe (depends on the retailer). You can pre-order Windows 7 today through many online retailers like the Microsoft Store.
• On New PCs: OEMs are expected to start shipping new PCs with Windows 7 pre-installed on them around October 22nd.

Can I continue to use the Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) until I receive the RTM version?
Yes, you can continue to use the RC until it expires on June 1st, 2010 (expiration starts March 1, 2010 – this is when the reboots start – final expiration on June 1). Please note that “in-place” (or direct) upgrades from the Windows 7 RC to RTM will not be supported. You will be required to do a Custom installation (aka “clean install”).

I am a TechNet or MSDN subscriber. Will I get a product key?
MSDN and TechNet subscribers, as well as Volume License customers will have access to product keys (PIDs) when Windows 7 is made available to them. Product keys for Windows 7 RTM will be different than the product keys used for Windows 7 Beta and the release candidate. Windows 7 Beta or RC product keys *will not* work with Windows 7 RTM.

I am using one of the so-called “leaked” builds of Windows 7, how will I know if it is the real deal?
As always, beware of what you download. There are many bogus copies of Windows 7 floating around the Internet. More often than not, they contain a rather nice malware payload. And don’t believe everything you read on the Internet. When Windows 7 hits RTM, it will be announced here. Until that happens, any builds you are likely to see on the web are either not the final bits or are laced with malicious code.

How do I get a 64-bit copy of Windows 7?
The Upgrade and Full packaged retail product of Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, and Windows 7 Ultimate will come with both 32-bit and 64-bit DVDs. With Windows Vista, the 64-bit version was only available with Windows Vista Ultimate. Due to the incredible adoption of 64-bit today and customer feedback, we decided to change this for Windows 7. Now all copies of Windows 7 in developed markets will ship with both 32-bit and 64-bit DVDs.

I want to emphasize that delivering Windows 7 at the highest quality possible is the biggest criteria we have for hitting RTM. Our top focus is a super high quality release of Windows first and foremost.

Thanks, and check back soon for more Windows 7 news.
Still have questions about Windows 7? Leave your questions below as I have several colleagues here in Redmond waiting to answer any question Windows 7 related you might have.

UPDATE 7/14: Updated information for Volume Licensing.

When will I get Windows 7 RTM?
I recognize this is an important question to have answered. Many of you have said you want to know exactly when you will be able to get your hands on RTM. Last Monday, I gave an update on RTM to close out some myths. In that update, I also gave a broad timeline on when different groups of people – or “audiences” – would get the final RTM code.

While I have nothing new to add regarding RTM today, I do however have more precise information to give on when you will be able to get RTM. Again, when you can get RTM depends on who you are.

For Partners & OEMs:
ISV (Independent software vendor) and IHV (Independent hardware vendor) Partners will be able to download Windows 7 RTM from Microsoft Connect or MSDN on August 6th. There is already a lot of momentum from ISVs and IHVs in the ecosystem today for Windows 7 as Mike Nash blogged last week. If you are a partner who has been working on Windows 7 for a while, now is the time to complete your testing with final version of Windows 7. For partners that haven’t gotten started yet with Windows 7, now is the time to get involved. You can also visit www.readyset7.com to learn more about getting ready for Windows 7.

Microsoft Partner Program Gold/Certified Members will be able to download Windows 7 RTM in English through the Microsoft Partner Network (MPN) Portal on August 16th. By October 1st, the remaining languages will become available to download.

Microsoft Action Pack Subscribers will be about to download Windows 7 RTM in English starting August 23rd. By October 1st, the remaining languages will become available to download.
OEMs will receive Windows 7 RTM software images beginning approximately 2 days after we officially RTM, as a little time is required to release and distribute these images. This will allow them to begin preparing images for new PCs to ship with Windows 7 on them. We know our OEMs are excited for Windows 7 and we can’t wait to hand them the final RTM bits!

For Business Customers:
If you are a Volume License (VL) customer with an existing Software Assurance (SA) license you will be able to download Windows 7 RTM in English starting August 7th via the Volume License Service Center (VLSC). The rest of the languages for Windows 7 RTM should be available within a couple of weeks after that.

Volume License customers without a SA license will be able to purchase Windows 7 through Volume Licensing on September 1st as we announced last week at WPC09. Mark these dates on your calendar and start making your deployment plans!

For IT Professionals:
There are a few ways you can get Windows 7 RTM. IT Professionals with TechNet Subscriptions will be able to download Windows 7 RTM in English on August 6th and remaining languages by October 1st.

IT Professionals at companies with Volume Licensing see above on how you can get Windows 7 RTM.

We have quite a bit of resources for IT Professionals to use to become experts on Windows 7 and to aid in their deployments. Those resources can be found at the Springboard Series.

For Developers:
Developers with MSDN Subscriptions will be able to download Windows 7 RTM in English on August 6th and remaining languages by October 1st.

To help developers who are developing applications for Windows 7 or updating existing applications to take advantage of new Windows 7 features, check out the Windows 7 for Developers Blog. Also, be sure to check out the Windows 7 Developers Guide on MSDN. Oh and there are also some fantastic videos on Channel 9 too!

For Beta Testers & Enthusiasts:
A special thank you to our beta testers is needed for their time and effort in helping make Windows 7 a solid release. The special pre-order offer we did offering Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows 7 Professional at almost 50% discount was done with our beta testers in mind. And many of you jumped at the chance to take advantage of this deal – thank you!

I know there have been some rumors going around about a “family pack” for Windows 7. We have heard a lot of feedback from beta testers and enthusiasts over the last 3 years that we need a better solution for homes with multiple PCs. I’m happy to confirm that we will indeed be offering a family pack of Windows 7 Home Premium (in select markets) which will allow installation on up to 3 PCs. As I’ve said before, stay tuned to our blog for more information on this and any other potential offers.

Beta testers will not automatically receive a free copy of Windows 7. Many beta testers are already subscribers to TechNet; those of you who fit that description will be able to download Windows 7 RTM shortly after RTM happens for free as part of your subscription.

However, if you don’t have TechNet and are waiting for GA (to either purchase Windows 7 or wait for your pre-order to arrive) you can continue to use the RC. In fact, you can continue to use it until it expires on June 1st, 2010 (expiration actually starts March 1, 2010, this is when the reboots start).

While our special pre-order offer with the near 50% has ended, Windows 7 can still be pre-ordered today from the various online retailers (including the Microsoft Store).

We are also going to release an evaluation of Windows 7 Professional for IT Professionals via the Springboard Series shortly after RTM. Over 40% of beta testers are IT Professionals and this will allow them to quickly access the RTM code and plan for deployments.

For Consumers:
Windows 7 will be in retail stores and shipping on new PCs starting October 22nd. If you pre-ordered Windows 7, it should be delivered sometime around the October 22nd timeframe (depends on the retailer).

Windows 7 full full full is now on technet.

Am getting Windows 7 Ultimate right now - I'll have Professional & Enterprise versions by this afternoon. yeah yeah.

Im really enjoying Win7, especially after the disaster that was Vista (my HDD corrupted 3 times in as many months, with the directory "Application Data" ending up recurring forever so you end up with ...\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\(etc) twice)

And the best bit? My HD4870 works perfectly with the Win7 drivers! Not a single crash since installation! I piss-farted around with drivers for ages on Vista32 and 64 trying to get the damn thing working.

I love you, Win7. Marry me.

ps. Never thought I'd see the day when you'd endorse a Microshit product!

I think I'm in love, and may actually end up paying for an OS...

Just installed Win7 on a HP laptop that came bundled with Vista Home Basic which kept screwing up the touch buttons, so I formatted and put Vista64 Ultimate on, and got all the drivers seperately which was a painful process.... and the buttons worked eventually, but after 9 months or so it suffered from the same hard drive corruption that mine did (where the Application Data directory ends up recursing 255 times and then roots the NTFS)

Installed Win7 and all the drivers were either built in, or came up in a box that said "click here to get the drivers" which linked to the correct HP download. Every single one! Insane.

My box was the same deal, with even the HD4870 being included and the best part - it hasnt crashed once! I used to get bluescreens no matter what version of the drivers I used under Vista Ultimate.

I think I'm in love, and may actually end up paying for an OS...

hmm blue screen to me sounds like ram problems... or video card memory problems. it has failed to pick up a tv tuner driver for me. the kworld dvb-t 380ur cant find the driver anywhere!

i have also installed win 7 build 7600 deactivated on my carpc runs like a dream

I don't know why people were having so many issues with Vista. I blame dodgy hardware.

hey guys got a question i am planning to get a new laptop, would win 7 look good on laptops or or win 7 is better in desktops?

Either.

$469?

$469?

FOUR HUNDRED AND SIXTY NINE DOLLARS?

FOUR HUNDRED AND SIXTY NINE DOLLARS?

GET FUCKED!

lol@ w7 student only being able to run 3 applications at once.

Yeah true but it's just annoying that they bring out varying levels of shit. Should be 2 versions. Client and Server.

Client should not be toned down, should be fully featured! I know Ultimate comes with Media Centre and stuff but that shouldn't be extra.

M$ need to wake up, they'd make enough money with their server licensing so why ass rape the little guy just because they want Ultimate?

I'll either buy win7 when i buy new pc next year or i'll just install vista again and wait till next OS.

Microsoft.Windows.7.ULTIMATE.x64.OEM.DVD-BIE

Microsoft.Windows.7.ULTIMATE.x64.OEM.DVD-BIE

Im looking at doing the upgrade but have a few questions..

Im running Vista Ultimate 32bit atm, and it doesnt seem to like the idea of sharing the load on my quad core, mainly likes core 1 and 3...

is W7 more lightweight?? like less crap within the OS itself

My specs are: Asus P5Q Pro Mobo, Intel Q6600 clocked to 3.2GHz, Corsair 1066MHz 4GB (Which Vista is only using 3100MB of), cant evan remember what graphics card I got, but dont mind upgrading..


basicly want a OS that uses my comp to potential, not just run all clogged up and slowish like Vista

my pc is normally used to convert videos, music and gaming...

think Windows 7 work decent for me??

Im looking at doing the upgrade but have a few questions..

Im running Vista Ultimate 32bit atm, and it doesnt seem to like the idea of sharing the load on my quad core, mainly likes core 1 and 3...

is W7 more lightweight?? like less crap within the OS itself

My specs are: Asus P5Q Pro Mobo, Intel Q6600 clocked to 3.2GHz, Corsair 1066MHz 4GB (Which Vista is only using 3100MB of), cant evan remember what graphics card I got, but dont mind upgrading..


basicly want a OS that uses my comp to potential, not just run all clogged up and slowish like Vista

my pc is normally used to convert videos, music and gaming...

think Windows 7 work decent for me??

Im looking at doing the upgrade but have a few questions..

Im running Vista Ultimate 32bit atm, and it doesnt seem to like the idea of sharing the load on my quad core, mainly likes core 1 and 3...

is W7 more lightweight?? like less crap within the OS itself

My specs are: Asus P5Q Pro Mobo, Intel Q6600 clocked to 3.2GHz, Corsair 1066MHz 4GB (Which Vista is only using 3100MB of), cant evan remember what graphics card I got, but dont mind upgrading..


basicly want a OS that uses my comp to potential, not just run all clogged up and slowish like Vista

my pc is normally used to convert videos, music and gaming...

think Windows 7 work decent for me??

Quick query as I don't have the time to go looking for the answers.

Currently running a Q6600 (Core 2 Quad) on an MSI P35 Neo with 3Gb of DDR-800. I'm looking to go to Windows 7. I'd like to go 64bit, but I think a little more RAM is in order for the comfort factor. The MB can handle up to 4Gb of DDR3-1066. First, is it worth upgrading the RAM to DDR3 to run W7, or should I upgrade the whole MB,CPU,RAM in one hit? Second, if I can just do the RAM, what is recommended from your personal experience?

Quick query as I don't have the time to go looking for the answers.

Currently running a Q6600 (Core 2 Quad) on an MSI P35 Neo with 3Gb of DDR-800. I'm looking to go to Windows 7. I'd like to go 64bit, but I think a little more RAM is in order for the comfort factor. The MB can handle up to 4Gb of DDR3-1066. First, is it worth upgrading the RAM to DDR3 to run W7, or should I upgrade the whole MB,CPU,RAM in one hit? Second, if I can just do the RAM, what is recommended from your personal experience?

in all honesty, i dont think you will notice a difference at all by adding an extra 1GB.

if upgrading is something you are planning, i would recommend doing it all in one hit. saves $$$ and hassles in the long run.

I'll agree to this. The extra Gb of RAM only comes in handy if you tend to run out of physical memory often. However RAM nowdays is pretty cheap so getting another 1gb isn't going to break the bank but just may not be nessesary or make your machine any faster.

Your current Q6600 should be using DDR2 memory already and you aren't going to notice a huge world of improvement going to DDR3. Faster HDD will increase the responsiveness and speed of your computer over faster RAM since disk IO nowdays is the bottleneck of most computers.